A Rose
by Jtoasn
Summary: A one-shot, the day before Hermione's wedding to Ron, she sees Draco in a flower shop. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.


What's in a name?

That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

– Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

**It started with a Rose**

First there had been the hatred, the taunting and the ruthless and sometimes dangerous schemes that had pulled them apart.

Then the war started, lines had been made that they couldn't cross, they showed the true nature of their beliefs. It showed who the villain was, and who the heroes were.

After the war, the lines had been blurred, but the hatred remained.

She had seen his silver eyes twitch slightly at seeing her there, and her heart as well skipped a couple of beats, instinct told her to throw a curse, but reality told her that she had something more important to do.

"Ah, Miss Granger. How nice to see you again, I do believe that we have those order of flowers that you delivered, all ready for tomorrow"

"Thank you" she said, "May I see them?"

"Of course, I'll go and get them for you right now" the woman said, twittering off.

Hermione soon regretted asking her to leave; she was left alone with Malfoy.

"What are you doing here?"

He didn't respond, but kept on inspecting the assortment of flowers, "I believe congratulations are in order"

Hermione stiffened, "What would you care about it?"

He shrugged, "Can't I care about an old schoolmate?"

"We weren't schoolmates" she said, looking at him, "We were enemies. I think you've forgotten that _Malfoy_"

She had said his name with malice, as if the sound of it on her tongue was poison, "You were a selfish, ruthless, egotistical maniac. You thought only of yourself"

Looking at her he nodded, "I know"

She glared at him, "Is this some sort of trick?"

For the first time in a while, she saw a smile grace his lips, "I remember you said that"

"What are you talking about?"

Looking at her, his eyes were sad, "You couldn't have forgotten, I still haven't"

"I don't know what you're talking about" she said, "Even if I did I…"

"Don't deny it Hermione. What did you say that night?" he said, "In the garden"

Hermione turned away from him, "I… I don't remember"

"I do but I suppose if you did remember. You wouldn't go through with tomorrow." he said, and he put a rose on the counter, her lip quivered as she saw it, her eyes itching to cry as he whispered, "I always thought you looked beautiful in roses. That's why I can't look at one, without thinking of you"

She closed her eyes, and felt the tears well up behind her eyelids.

"Here we are!" the lady said as she came out of the back room, making Hermione jump "Oh, where did that young man go?"

Hermione turned and looked for him, but he had gone. Perhaps she had dreamt the encounter, as she had many times before.

"Are you alright dear?"

"Yes, I'm just… excited" Hermione said, as she wiped the tears away, looking down at the counter, she saw the rose, "It's a big day tomorrow"

She had tried to forget the meaning of roses, and she had been trying to get it out of her mind what the memory of roses… meant to her.

She loved Ron, she couldn't deny that, she had loved him and no one could ever replace that… that's what she kept telling herself.

But on the day of her wedding, she had a rose in her hair, and it was as red as the heart that still beat for Draco.

**It ended with a Rose**

Hermione walked forward, her hands were old now, old and worn from years of work and dedication to the family she loved.

But they were never as close as the love she once felt, many decades ago.

"It's been a while since we've seen each other, and I have lots of things to say" she said, "I've said these things to you so many times before, but I never had the courage to find you and say it out loud. Until now"

The wind whistled and the leaves on the ground swirled, but there was no response.

"I know I'm late, very late" she said, "My genius let me down through that. I couldn't tell you, how I felt… how you made me feel, how much I loved you"

"Yes, Draco… I loved you too" a tear rolled down her cheek "And one day soon we will be together, because they can't keep us away forever… no, not forever"

Hermione put the rose down on the ground, and touched the headstone of her former enemy, and her eternal love.

"I remember what I said that night" she said, "I said that our love was like Romeo and Juliet"

Getting up, she struggled, "I just always thought that the ending would be different"

**End**

Well, that was fun. Go on my author page to vote for my next EPIC story. (EPIC – 15-45 chapters long)


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